Reflection: Remembering Franklin Delanor Lambert, Junior

As I sit down to write this post, I'm a little in shock. My mind is swirling with memories--laughter tears, and long, meaningful conversations that won't happen again on this side of eternity. Last night, I learned that one of my oldest friends, and one I had not seen in person for a very long time, died of a heart attack. He had just recently turned 43 years old.

Frank was a proud West Virginian and a proud Mountaineer. He had grown up in some of the hill country of West Virginia (Elkins), and had moved to some of the river country (Parkersburg) our senior year of high school. And while we both knew each other then, we really became good friends our freshman year of college at WVU on the basketball courts and in the residence halls.

Frank had a deep appreciation for music, and probably had the biggest music collection of anyone I have ever known. And he knew the music too--every album--he could tell you about the artist and explain the nuances of the songs. He was a huge fan of all kinds of music from Pearl Jam to Cyprus Hill and just about everything in between. Back in college we would spend hours listening to and talking about the latest albums, and he would be among the first to acquire them at the Discount Den in Morgantown.

Frank and his sister Angie introduced me to the Forest Festival in Elkins, and because of them, I have been able to introduce it to members of my own family as well. Frank was incredibly generous with his time and was always willing to help out a friend in need. When I was installed as a chief in my tribal community nearly 17 years ago, Frank was among a select few friends from outside my tribe who I was privileged to invite to our land and have him witness that historic moment. Frank was a history major in his undergrad too, and so there was something special about having this friend share in a piece of history.

I believe it was through Frank that I discovered just how close Pittsburgh was to Morgantown as he would invite a group of friends to travel with him to explore the city. I can remember many drives to Pittsburgh while we were in school. Frank also believed in being well-dressed. In fact, he and a couple of other friends took me on a "fashion emergency" trip (before it was a thing) because my wardrobe and style could "use some work." We definitely had a lot of awesome road trips together.

And wow, we could spend HOURS on the basketball court. We would play hoops outside til dark, or head to Stansbury Hall (the courts where Jerry West played) and shoot hoops until we got kicked out of the building. In fact, many times we would shoot hoops and then listen to tunes and talk about the games we played--we would even try to come up with creative plays. And actually, there was a time where me, Frank, and my roommate at the time (Andy) got invited to play in a prison by a dude we were playing who happened to be a prison guard at a supermax prison in Pennsylvania. That game was pretty unforgettable--everyone in the prison came out to watch the game with us "outsiders" and we got SMOKED--I think we lost by 30+ points. I have lots of great memories with Frank on the basketball court, and he was a strong athlete.

Frank was always willing to speak truth to me (and to anyone) whether it might hurt or not. He never did it out of malice, but always to help people be better human beings and better friends. I remember one occasion when I had told him that I was going to come to a cookout he was hosting, and as I was walking there I ran into two other groups of friends at two different times, and ended up not making it to the cookout. He called me out for not honoring my word. At the time it really stung because I really valued keeping my word (and I still do). He told me he knew that I had the intention of being there but that if I commit and I don't follow through it hurts people, and that it wasn't the first time I had done it and that he wasn't the only person I had done it to. He told me that other people understood my intentions were good, but that I was hurting my friends and friendships when I didn't follow through and honor my word. Frank made me, and everyone he met a better person.

We went through our share of hardships together. One of the foremost burned into my mind happened during 2006 and 2007. Frank's dad and my mom were both diagnosed with cancer. We would see each other at the hospital often as our parents were going through the last stages of their fights with cancer. And as Frank was watching his dad fight hard in a losing battle against cancer, he was also getting ready to marry the love of his life, Dena. I remember going to their wedding in Ohio, and all of the sadness and joy being swirled together. Frank lost his dad, and I lost my mom within days of each other. Loss is always hard, but enduring it as you are starting a new life with someone and adding to your family is a difficult path to walk. Frank always walked the path bravely though, in every area of life.

Frank was 43 years old. And now his wife, sister, and mom (and many others) are grieving his unexpected death. For my part, I had hoped that we might be able to connect the last time I was in Parkersburg--I was hoping he would be able to meet my daughter and wife. And learning news of his death makes me want to be even more committed to do everything I can to live as long as I can on this earth with Jamie and Sylvia. I know our time of departure from this life is not entirely up to us, but I want to do everything within my power to ensure that my choices are not limiting the quality and quantity of the time I have left.

May we each savor the moments and memories we have, and as we are able, make new ones to cherish and treasure in this life, and Frank, may you rest in peace my brother.

Happy 75 Birthday Dad!

My dad is one of the most amazing human beings I know. At 75 years young, he is probably more fit and more strong than many who are half his age—and that’s even after a massive heart attack seven years ago. My dad has always been a pretty amazing individual, and I don’t think I could write enough about the lessons he has taught me through his work ethic, his patience, his respect for others, and through his rich faith.

I remember when I was growing up, he would drive me to school EVERY DAY and pick me up EVERY AFTERNOON when school let out. He would ALWAYS find time for me no matter how busy his day was. He would be up early getting ready for work, and he would work late on projects around the house, in the garden, or helping our neighbors—at least on the occasions when we weren’t going fishing! On those days, him and my uncle Russell, and my cousin, Jo Ann would load up in Russell’s van as soon as he was off work, and we would venture out to see who could catch our limit of trout first. We wouldn’t stop fishing until the sun was going down.

We did a lot of fishing, me and Dad. Sometimes, when we would go fishing, he would reach his hand across the cab of his pickup truck and say, “Ol’ Billy Williams, used to be my buddy…” and every time, I would reach my hand out to give him a high-five, and say emphatically, “Still am!” And to this day, my dad is not only my dad, but he is my buddy as well. At my wedding, I had two best men, Willie (My best friend in the whole world) and my dad. My dad has been there for every important moment in my life, and it only made since to have him stand by me on my wedding day.

He used to take me to the PHS field-house every Sunday morning to play basketball for at least an hour. We would shoot free-throws, and he would teach me how to properly execute a hook shot. After a shoot-around and warm up, we would play a few games of horse or play one-on-one. I loved those mornings of us just hanging out. I loved them as much as the evenings fishing and the evenings practicing my fielding or my batting for baseball. Recently I was hanging out with one of my childhood friends who didn’t grow up with his father, and he told me that he always thought it was so cool that me and Dad did so much together. Growing up I just figured it was that way for every kid. Boy was I wrong!

My dad has one of the most intense work ethics of anyone I know—and he’s always looking for ways he can help others. Sometimes when he visits me, he will notice that the grass needs cut, and while I’m working, he’ll fire up the mower and cut the grass. When I had more trees around the house with low branches, he would come up and help me trim those branches too!

We don’t get to see each other as often as either one of us would like, but when we do, we always have a good time and great adventures. Whether it is going on long bike rides or hiking to the top of Seneca rocks, Dad definitely keeps you moving. I love that we get to explore so many parts of this world together, and I love that many of my friends have also had the privilege of meeting and spending time with my dad.

One year, I was able to save up to buy tickets to almost every WVU home basketball game for him to sit/stand in the student section with me. It was so much fun to be able to share some amazing times with dad at the WVU Coliseum to cheer on the Mountaineers. On top of all of the amazing character qualities my dad exemplifies and I strive to emulate, he is a HUGE Mountaineer fan! Part of my memories growing up consisted of listening to Jack Fleming, the Voice of the Mountaineers, giving play-by-play for WVU sports on my dad’s old transistor radio, while Dad prepared home-made pizzas for supper. And now, every once in a while, we will land a couple tickets to a WVU football or basketball game. And both of us have the same perspective on the games—as big of fans as we both are, the company we get to enjoy the games with means way more than our seats in the stadium.

Dad and Mom both taught me a lot about appreciating people, and appreciating the quality of time shared as much as the quantity. During my childhood, we would take bicycling ‘adventures’ from our house and ride to “The Point” (where the Ohio and Little Kanawha Rivers meet) and then make our way along the floodwall to explore some of the places along the river where he and his siblings would play and swim when he was a kid. The ‘adventures’ were always as much about the company as they were the location.

And today, on his 75^th birthday, my heart is overflowing with gratitude for a lifetime of memories like these that he has made with me—I know that just about everyone he knows well has a long list of similar memories made together.  And, for every one of us, we are filled with eager anticipation for the next set of memories we will make together.

Dad, I hope you have an amazing birthday! I am so grateful for every moment we have been able to spend together, every heartfelt conversation, every adventure, every Mountaineer victory (and loss), and every long hike, fishing trip, or bike ride. Even more, I’m grateful for all of the ways you have been such a solid example of the kind of man I aspire to be! I love you very much!

March Madness

Today's a big day!  First day of the NCAA tournament and it's also St. Patrick's Day.  It's a big day for basketball, and a big day for the Mountaineers, as they start everything off at 12:15PM.  I"m really excited for the day, and I'm looking forward to getting back to Morgantown soon.  In the mean time, here's a little video to reflect on our season thus far...



Let's Goooooo Mountaineers!!!

Forty years of the WVU Coliseum

Last week, my dad, my uncle, Jamie and I were able to go to see WVU play UConn at the Coliseum.  I tried to capture the moment with a photo, but my big head got in the way of my dads face :(  It was an awesome game, and it was absolutely incredible to share in the celebration with my dad, Russ, and Jamie.  The team looks like it is starting to come together strong and just in time for the Big East Tourney.  Perhaps next year, I will have the foresight to schedule some time off and we will be able to land tickets to watch this legendary tournament in the Garden!  Until then, I will savor the memory of another Mountaineer win, and get geared up to watch the defending Big East Champion mountaineers play their first game game on TV with friends Wednesday night.

While we were there, this video played and it got me a little nostalgic.



The video walks through the 40 years of the WVU Coliseum's existence.  As I watched the video, I have to admit I got a little emotional. I started thinking about games I was able to see with friends and family over the years.  I reflected on photos my brother took when I was little and he was a WVU student in the early 80s.  I thought about listening to Jack Fleming on my dad's transistor radio as he made home made pizza's.  I remembered the disdain for Pitt for Pitt that was instilled in me from an early age via "Beat Pitt" signs on buildings in my home town of Parkersburg.

Finishing my undergrad and graduate degrees here in Morgantown, I have many more memories of going to games as soon as my classes were over and waiting to be allowed into the building.  I remember  the excitement of having a roommate who served as our mascot, the Mountaineer.  And I remember names of players.  People like Dale Blaney, Lester Rowe from Buffalo, Darryl Prue, Chris Brooks, Adrian Pledger, PG Green, Kevin Pittsnogle, Mike Gansey, Da'Sean Butler and more comprise the stuff of legend for Mountaineer fans during the Coliseum era.

I wonder what the next 40 years will look like?  If God would be gracious enough to allow me to be a father, I imagine we will probably spend time in a similar way, only this time, listening to Tony Caridi on the radio and sharing stories of many Mountaineer greats and legendary exploits as we are able to attend games ourselves.

I hope you enjoy the video, and, if you grew up in this state, I hope this video brings back some of those great Mountaineer basketball memories for you as well!

And, wouldn't it be something if we were able to get a second Big East Championship this week? :)

Reflecting On 2010

I’ve tried to make it a habit to take a little bit of time at the end of each year to look back on the past and prepare for the coming year.  Interestingly, over the last several days, I’ve filled my time with connecting with friends and family, and although it has been incredibly enjoyable, it has left little room for reflection.  In an effort to change that, I have committed myself to take time to steal away a regular time of solitude in 2011.  (More on that in a future post!)  Also, I just realized that this is the first time in three years that I have blogged this annual reflection.

The year started with a frantic rush to facilitate Nuru’s first nation wide tour making a drive around the country to tell Nuru’s Story, and to host a nationwide mobilization event called Be Hope To Her that encouraged college students and young professionals around the country to grow in empathy for the daily challenges for women living in extreme poverty.

As the year progressed, I found myself meeting more and more wonderful people in cities all over the country who were passionate about advocacy and service.  Folks like Charles Lee, Jeff Shinabarger, Daniel Li, Mark Brinkmoeller, and Nicky Yates are among the many who inspire and encourage me with their lives on a regular basis.  These folks are amazing! I discovered and shared some really incredible causes, organizations and events through this blog, and that is a trend I hope to continue.  I believe that our hearts become more fully awakened to what we were made for when we begin serving others, and I hope that as you read this today, you will consider some small way that you might be able to serve another person (and will you DO it?)?

Of course, time with friends and family never seems adequate, but I was fortunate enough to see my brother in California on three separate occasions this year.  We were able to commiserate WVU’s final four loss to Duke, and celebrate an early season hoops win over Oakland this fall.  I was also able to visit my dad and sister on at least a dozen occasions this past year.  In my travels over the year, I was able to see many friends too, and I’m hopeful to visit and catch up with even more folks in 2011.

This summer also was a major step for me.  On the 147^th anniversary of West Virginia’s Statehood, Father’s Day, and Mission Sunday at South Ridge, Church, I asked Jamie Reaser to marry me, and she said yes.  Here’s her telling of the story. (In some future blog posts I’ll share a little more detail about some decisions we made with the ring, etc., so stay tuned.)  I am humbled and amazed that God would be so gracious as to allow such an amazing woman to say yes to marrying me.  She is absolutely incredible!

The year also had its share of challenges.  I lost another relative to cancer late this summer, my uncle Bob, and I took time to reflect on losing my mom in 2007.  My Uncle Bill and Aunt Rosemary both had surgeries that while painful in the moment have led to a better quality of life for each of them.  And, I’ve been in PT for the last few weeks myself because of injuries sustained by not taking care of my own physical fitness.  (A goal for 2011 for sure!)

As the year wrapped up, I was traveling again and spent time enjoying friends and family, and participating in service.  Jamie and her family welcomed me into their family and into a Christmas tradition of service, that you may have read about last week.  Jamie got on TV too!

So what are some of the highlights of your 2010?

World Champions Back-To-Back Los Angeles Lakers

OK, I'm a Laker fan. Not as huge of a fan as i once was, but I'm still a fan. And as you probably know (or could guess from this blog title), the Lakers have won the NBA World Championships, and they beat the Boston Celtics to do it.

Growing up, when I started following professional sports, it was a given that I would be a Laker fan. My brother moved to Los Angeles when I was starting seventh grade, and sent me a Laker T-shirt for my birthday to move the process along for me a little more quickly.

I was fascinated by Earvin "Magic" Johnson and his no-look passes, and wanted to be known as an assist guy with sweet passes on the court and ankle-breaking moves to the basket. I also wanted to develop my own form of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Sky Hook and Magic's Junior Sky Hook and shoot from the outside like Michael Cooper. And at times, I admit, I even wanted to grow my hair out and wear glasses like Kurt Rambis. (PS the rambis link is pretty cool--even an anti-mchale site there too!).

As a Laker fan, I had two jobs. Cheer for the Lakers and have nothing but disdain for the Celtics. I loved both of them. Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Danny Ainge, Robert Parrish, and Dennis Johnson were like super-villains. I put them in the same category as Skeletor, Cobra Commander, and Darth Vader. The truth is they were some legendary athletes, but I guess that's why they made great super-villains and not just regular villains.

I've followed the Lakers pretty consistently through the years, but never as passionately as I did during the Showtime era. I even had a pair of the Lakers' Magic Johnson style Converse Weapon. Man did I think I was cool, but wow was I so far off from the truth.

This year's NBA Finals just had me feeling a bit nostalgic. While I still cheer on the Lakers, I really thought the Celtics had an incredibly talented team, and I couldn't look at them as Super-Villains. Maybe I'm getting soft.

What did you think of the series? Are you a fan of either team? Did you have a childhood basketball player that you looked up to? Who was it and why did you like him?

WVU Final Four Rally Video

I wasn't sure time would permit me the opportunity to post this, and many have already seen this video, but as we come down to the final hours before our final four appearance with Duke, I thought it might be cool to allow folks to have one more look at what WVU Basketball has done since February 22.

I'm in California with my brother right now, and we were talking briefly last night about what it means to be a West Virginian. If you aren't from West Virginia, this video, and Coach Huggin's words at the very beginning might not have the depth of meaning that WVU alum and WV residents experience when when we hear those words.

We have a lot to celebrate in Wild, Wonderful West Virginia. As I sit in my brother's house to write this post, I can't help but think how difficult it is at times for West Virginians who are dispersed abroad. If I were not in California for a conference, I would probably be in Indy watching tonight's game. It's been a pretty phenomenal year, and I'm glad my brother will not have to watch tonight's game by himself! (As a tangent, we've been reppin' dub-V and wearing Gold & Blue everywhere we go out here! . . .& it ain't gonna stop!)

Enough about me and my brother for now, let's talk about West Virginia. Tonight, virtually every television in the state will be tuned into the game. Just like back in 1959 when virtually every radio in the state was tuned to listen to WVU playing Cal for a national championship. The games are being broadcast in workplaces because this is something special that all West Virginian's get excited about.

I'm hopeful for tonights game. It's been a pretty incredible season, and we just have 2 more games to win to make history.

Wherever you are watching the game, I hope you are able to soak up the fullness of this special time for Mountaineers everywhere "From Morgantown to Matewan and all points in between!"

Let's Goooooooooooooo Mountaineers!!!

West Virginia Community

In a night during which number one seeded Syracuse fell to the Butler Bulldogs, the mighty Mountaineers of West Virginia University persevered and prevailed over the Washington Huskies and is now the last remaining Big East Conference team in the NCAA tournament as they move toward the elite eight.
Across the mountain state (and across the entire Mountaineer Nation), family and friends gathered around televisions to watch the Mountaineers play one more game on the road to a national championship. I sat with about a dozen others in the home of my first college roommate, Jimmy Shreeves, and really enjoyed the night and the victory.
For people outside this state, it’s hard to understand what it means to be advancing in the tournament like this. West Virginia doesn’t have a professional sports team, and for many people in our state, we rally behind the Mountaineers with the tenacity and passion of fans of pro teams.
Our state is victim to a number of stereotypes, & maybe sometimes it feels like we get a lot of negative press and sand kicked in our face. But when something good happens in this state, we all share in a sense of pride. In a manner of speaking, we can stick out our chests and say, “That’s our team!” People here care about the team like they care about their own family. There’s a special sense of community we have that permeates this state. Together, we celebrate the fact that we are Mountaineers. Together we celebrate the successes and the positives that emerge from the Mountain State.
It may be hard to understand for people outside this state, but there is a sense of solidarity here that is hard to imagine. People who routinely could give a rip about basketball are celebrating the success of our team--not because of a newfound love of basketball, but because of a deep sense of pride in our wonderful home in the hills of Appalachia.
And for our growing mass of mountaineer fans abroad. Come visit this state. Visit Morgantown. Come see why we believe this place is special. And keep rooting on the Mountaineers!!!

Saint Patrick's Day Fun

It's been a few days since my last blog post, and today is Saint Patrick's Day. I thought I'd share a couple of fun videos with you to celebrate the day. But, if you are interested in a more serious look at the holiday, here's an older blog post that explores a bit of who Saint Patrick was.

The first video is a news story from Mobile, Alabama. It appears that the residents may have discovered a leprechaun living in a tree in their suburb. Enjoy.



And for those of you who missed the wonderful dance moves of WVU basketball player John Flowers, here's a little video to get you ready for the NCAA Tournament. Oh, and in case you've been living under a rock, or in a cave. WVU won it's first ever Big East Tournament this year.




Personally, I'm really proud of our team, and I'm looking forward to watching them play and win six more games before their season is over. Let's go Mountaineers!!!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!!

Faith and Vocation

Me and Coach Stu, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Yesterday after watching a tough loss to Pitt at the coliseum, Jamie and I had a pretty cool experience. She spotted WVU football coach Bill Stewart in the middle of the student section, and we decided to make our way over just to congratulate him on a great season and to thank him for the example of faith that he has set for his players, and for many in the state.

First, I'd like to take a moment and just give you an opportunity to think about this. He's the head coach of the football team. As a result of his position, he would never need to stand in the student section at a WVU game. He could probably sit in a private box or court side, but he chose to be with students.

Coach Stewart has the best record for a first year coach in the history of WVU. He has a 2-0 bowl record, and although some might disagree, he is leading WVU's football team quite well.

You see, from what I can tell, and what I've heard, he really cares about the players. They aren't there just to play football, although he drives them pretty hard in practice. They are at WVU to learn how to be men. He has been a great example in disciplining his players and helping them to grow during their time in Morgantown.

He is an example of what many people of faith forget. We don't leave our faith when we enter our job. We don't leave our faith when we participate in sports. We don't leave our faith when we spend time with friends or family. Our faith is meant to saturate every aspect of our lives. This is why we call it the "life" of faith, and not the "one hour on sunday morning" of faith.

Think about it today. Regardless of your vocation, you are called to represent Jesus Christ to the world if you are a Christian. It's no wonder people have a distorted image of the Christian faith because so few take this call seriously.

What would your place of employment look like if you took it as an opportunity to reflect Christ in that place? What would your job look like? What would your attitude be like as people approached you for help, or yelled at you because their life wasn't going well.

Take a few moments right now if you have put your faith in Christ, and ask this question, "In what way may God want me to change the way I go about life/work so I can better represent Jesus to the people around me?"

If you get an answer, try to make the change. Invite Christ into your work, and the rest of your life. Your life, your work, and your relationships will take on radical new meaning in light of this sacred privilege.

PS When I thanked coached stewart for the testimony to Christ that his life was for many, he told me he didn't plan to change that. I think it would be cool to take time periodically and pray for public figures like coach stew and send them some encouragement.

PPS Coach stew has a sweet first name!

Rebound

Rebound, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Last week, through the help of some great friends, I made it to watch the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament. You might consider it an early birthday present, or an early easter gift. Whatever it could be considered, I consider it GREAT!!!

This photo was taken from my seat for the first round game against Arizona. I tried to get some good shots, but my little digital camera didn't fare so well with the fast pace of college basketball--most of my pics were a little blurry (it doesn't help that I don't have really steady hands!).

So this photo is from the first half of the Arizona game. Look at our guys box out on a free throw. I had a really great seat for each round, and it was lot's of great basketball. I was there for the near upset of Belmont over Duke, and watched our fellas triumph over Arizona.

In the words of Tony Caridi, "It's a great day to be a Mountaineer, whereever you may be!"

I just happened to be four rows from the floor in the Verizon Center for this one.

My Enchanted Life

My Enchanted Life, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Yesterday things just seemed to go well for me. I went to get a physical yesterday afternoon. While I was in the desert, I realized that I haven't had a check up in about 10 years, so maybe it was about time. Although it took a while to get in (because of a computer system glitch), it was still cool, because I could do some work while I waited. This week is a week chock full of meetings so every "free" moment counts. Plus, I'm planning to see my dad and sister this weekend, so I don't want to be encumbered or distracted by any projects--ya know.

So I had this physical, and I'm in EXCELLENT health. Great resting heart rate and BP of 120/82. I also had bloodwork done, and my results were STELLAR to say the least. My number for sugars was easily below 100, and my number for cholesterol was also well below the critical 200 number. So I am free and clear to start an exercise program--not that I had any worries, but you always hear that blurb about consulting a physician before you start.

So now I am planning an intense exercise program. I'm going to ease into it this week, and then turn up the intensity next week. I am amazed sometimes at my degree of health and well being in light of the busy-ness that often saturates my life. Maybe a lot of it has to do with the way I go about life-trying to savor each and every moment, and making the most of it.

Speaking of savoring the moment, I just received a tremendous gift from my friends (and fellow mountaineer fans!) Jeremiah and Kim. That's Jeremiah in the photo with me. We are grinning from ear to ear because we just watched Pitt get stomped!!! Jeremiah and Kim had an extra ticket for last night's game, and so I was able to be there guest and sit on the second row to watch WVU trounce Pitt. It was glorious! I even made a cameo appearance on ESPN last night! (I will be available for autographs and interviews later today around Morgantown.)

Although life throws all of us some curve balls from time to time, I have been able to live a pretty enchanted life. I mean who gets a ticket to the biggest game of the year the day it happens--and who gets a seat on the second row? I was less than ten feet away from the ESPN crew.

I am thankful for it all--every moment is precious. Let's go mountaineers!!!!

Waterboyz and Changing Tides

Waterboyz, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Last night, we almost pulled the biggest upset in our league, and I think that's worth blogging about. Ordinarily, when you lose a game, or even a few games it's not something you want to talk about.

But this team and our community is totally different. Last night we ended the game, and although losing isn't the most fun thing in the world, we were able to spend some time with a bunch of our friends who came out to support us and it was simply wonderful!

The game was a lot of fun--we were playing against what I believe is the best team in the league, and we even led at a few points. We played as a team, and I heard one guy say that if we had just a little more time, he thought we might have pulled out the victory.

Honestly, the way we played together, we did pull out a victory. And being able to walk over to a crowd of 30-40 close friends who were cheering us on gave us an even greater victory. We were able to pray together, and thank God for keeping us injury free, and beyond this we were even able to thank God for the community and the conversations that were happening all through the game among our friends.

I never would have anticipated this would be sooo much fun! We even have a mascot now, a Newfoundland (water rescue dog) named Baxter!

Even though we lost, I think the tides are changing for the better for the Waterboyz and our community of friends and supporters!

Go waterboyz!!!

Waterboyz and Some of Our Loyal Fans

Waterboyz and Some of Our Loyal Fans, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Tonight we played our first CRC basketball game, and the results were a little less than we had hoped--we lost the game. But we gained so much more. I think we all had some serious jitters, and that will happen. Very few of us had played basketball together before, and we just lacked a little bit in confidence.

But it wasn't as a result of our fans. We had a large turnout to support us, and they had even more fun than we did I think.

And that's just the thing. You know, I had this mindset early in the week that we were just going to do so well with basketball--and I don't feel like any of us played up to our capabilities. But we had fun. We laughed. We had fun with our wonderful fans.

We had community. I made a couple of new friends tonight, and I think we all had some good laughs and some exciting moments on and off the court.

And more than that, we had each other. Community is such a gift. Regardless our outcome with these games, this is just a great group of people to hang out with.

If you are in town for our next game (April 9th) I hope you will come out and get in the mix!!!

Go Waterboyz!!!

Upset!!!

Upset!!!, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

If this is the first news you have heard about this, then you need to crawl out from under the rock where you've been living. We beat UCLA Saturday, and I was there--as were several thousand other mountaineer fans!!! This is probably the biggest upset in WVU history, and, the entire game was exciting.

What made this game better for me was the fact that I could enjoy it with my dad and brother in law. A win with family is even better than just a win. (don't get me wrong--a win against the #2 team in the country is great no matter how you slice it!)

In the words of Tony Caridi, "It's a great day to be a Mountaineer wherever you may be!!!" And this evening, I will be in Georgetown hopefully watching the mountaineers beat the hoyas (whatever a hoya is?). Be sure to look for me on TV with a few of my DC friends.

Rousing Words

Rousing Words, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Saturday, I went to the UCLA game with my dad and brother in law. For the last two years, my dad and I have made a habit of sitting in the student section and enjoying the home games together. As my degree comes to an end, this will probably be one of the benefits I miss the most.

Before the game though, I was thoroughly impressed. Coach John Beilein came over to the student section and shared his heart with the students. He encouraged students to be supportive and cheer loudly, but not to indulge in some of the disrespectful cheers and behaviors of a few students that had emerged over the last few home games. He told the students that they were smarter than some of the phrases that were coming out of their mouths, and to consider the fact that somebody's grandma was over in another section, and another person's little sister was on the other side of the colisseum. He also shared the fact that we would be on national television, and it might affect future appearances if we don't show the nation today that we are a class act.

I appreciated his words. Sometimes folks get a little wound up, and say/do some things that are inappropriate, and I can't think of a more eloquent and respectul way to communicate with the students than the way Coach Beilein went about it. He's a class act through and through, and I really appreciate what he has done for the reputation of the university, the team, and the fans.

Pitt Woes

Pitt Woes, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Well, I went to the Pitt game with my dad and brother in law last night. There were many expressions similar to this one I captured, all through the stands. It was a tough loss.

But it was good to be with family. It's always good to be with family. I think that's one of the beautiful things about a life of faith. No matter where we are, we are with family. God, exists as Father, Son, and Spirit. But beyond that, we have the community of faith that becomes our extended family. Because of Christ, I have brothers and sisters literally all over the world. Some are suffering, some are very wealthy, some are depressed, and others are lonely. Regardless, we are family.

Have you taken any time to consider your family both locally and abroad?

It sure beats thinking about that Pitt game--yuck!!!

WVU Basketball Recruiting

I just saw this video on youtube, and well, I think every person in the state fell in love with this team. The video is a little bit long, but I'm sure it will bring to mind some great memories of the 2004-05 season. Let's go Mountaineers--basketball season is just around the corner!!!

Where I Used to Get My Game On

Where I Used to Kick It, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

As we walked around Parkersburg today, we walked by an old basketball court at the city park. I used to play basketball here every day as soon as school let out. I would play until dinner time, or dark, whichever came first.

I like the way this photo turned out.

I remember playing 33 with Willie here a few years ago. He beat me. He reminded me as we walked along today. My dad got a kick out of that.

Do you have any old stomping grounds where you used to do things? It's good to go back to those places from time to time and see how they have changed or remained the same.

Parkersburg has changed alot, but this court hasn't changed all that much. It's a beautiful park. It's just a shame nobody really uses it to play basketball anymore.

The Season is Over, or is it?

Mrach Madness lost its appeal on March 23 when WVU lost at the buzzer to Texas. It seemed to revive a bit when George Mason upset UConn to the chants of "Go Kryptonite!" Somehow the season was over before it was over. I lost interest when the championship game was going to be UCLA and Florida. There just wasn't a huge appeal for me. And tonight's game had no excitement to it. 73-57 Florida won. It's their first National Championship in basketball, and I am sure there are many chanting, "It's great to be a Florida Gator" in Gainesville.

Personally, I'm looking forward to the celebration of an even greater victory. In less than two weeks, I will celebrate with millions around the world the greatest victory ever won. The powers of death, sin, and evil were decisively beaten by Jesus the Messiah through the cross. The lenten season comes to an end soon, but this magnificent victory will continue to be celebrated forever and ever.

So, let's celebrate!!!